Marriage by Proxy
by Reddish
Summary: Some years after the war against Rozenkreuz. Albion is in dire need of money, so Esther is marrying a wealthy Methuselah she never met... Why does she keep thinking about father Nightroad? --- Please review if it is any good! --- Reddish - -'
1. Chapter 1

It was the same cathedral as where her coronation had taken place. Again the hall was filled with cheering people. Again she felt a profound urge to cry. But she didn't. After all, she had dried her tears the day he had left. When his black robes and silver tresses where no longer visible, she had wiped away the signs of her grieve and swore a silent oath that she would never cry again. Ever. She had kept that promise. Through the entire war with all it's military campaigns, plagues and food shortages. She merely acknowledged the problems and tried her very best to fix them. So when her trustworthy advisors Ms. Spencer, Virgil and Vanessa told her the royal treasury was nearing depletion, she had accepted the best solution: marriage.

She walked down the aisle with her chin raised. Her face without emotion. _A marriage, without him._ Her step falters for a moment as the thought caught her off guard. _Him._ The one she had been waiting for until now. She had made a second promise that dreadful day. She told him she would wait for his return. Without putting it in words they both knew what she had meant with those words. _He did not return. He vanished. Maybe even..._She dared not finish that thought. Meanwhile she had regained her composure. She reached the end of the aisle. At the altar she met the pope. Again he graced her with an encouraging smile. Slowly she returned it, but she felt the corners of her mouth trembling. Then she turned to face Virgil. He eyed her suspiciously, still opposing her marriage. She was certain that if he saw but one trace of doubt, he´d call off the wedding. Yet she asked him to fulfill the most import part in this ceremony.

Finding a wealthy man, who would accept her was surprisingly easy. A Methuselah count. His possessions in land where small, but the man himself had proven in the negotiation he was shamefully rich. But people who have all the money in the world are often careless and egoistic. Her count had written that he was not able to attend his own wedding. Instead she would have a marriage by proxy, with Virgil serving as stand in. Her eyes settled on the white glove in Virgils hand. _It looks a bit like kind the AX-members used to wear. _A sad smile crosses her face. The glove reminded her of _his_ black wings. _If only I had wings myself. I'd fly away, far away from here. And I'd hide from the world until he'd found me. _

Vaguely she catches the pope starting the wedding ceremony. They had practiced this over five times.

"...to be you lawfully wedded wife. In sickness and in health..."

A short pause and then Virgils voice. A clear 'yes.' Her hands tremble, soon it would be her turn. In a few moments it would be all over. The queen of Albion would have married an obscure count from the Empire, for his money. She could not help to hope the count would bare no resemblance whatsoever to the man she waited for. As if in slow motion she catches the last words of the question she said she'd answer. _Father Nightroad, where are you?_ A short interval in time. _Please._

"Yes."

The crowd in the church began cheering. Some hats flew through the air. The shock on pope Alessandro's face for such behavior highlighted from all the other things around her. Tears tried to fill her eyes, but she swallowed them back.

Virgil raised his gloved hand and placed in on her arm.

"Are you feeling ill, my lady?"

"No, thank you." She tried a comforting smile. "I'm feeling quite alright."

"None would stop you from taking a breather."

"I will, stop myself. My people have deserved this feast."

The last word left a bitter taste in her mouth. _ Feast. As if I'm served poultry. Yet, maybe I am. For it is done. I am a married woman. Lady Esther, queen of Albion, countess of Noctis Silentium. I am so sorry, father. Will you still return to me? Or will you feel hurt and betrayed... Maybe it's for the best if you would not return. I do not know if I could bare it._


	2. Chapter 2

It had been several weeks since her marriage. The day after the festivities a carefully made copy of the marriage certificate had been send to count Noctis Silentium. Along with it a letter which contained a polite inquiry after his health and the question when his busy schedule had room for meeting his wife. Ms. Spencer had written most of the correspondence leaving Esther to sign it after a few minor changes, mainly to the layout of the letter. All in all it had been formal and distant, much like passing a some new law. Vanessa had been the only one who wondered whether it was appropriated for Esther to address her new husband thus. And since his response remained nonexistent, the four advisors began to fear that she had been right. Although deep in her heart Esther had been relieved about her husbands lack of interest in her, her government was in desperate need of his money. Shameful as it might be to admit, she needed her count to recognize their attachment. Most of her subjects were direct victims of the seemingly endless war because they lost a near relative, had been permanently wounded in battle or had lost their homes. The rest suffered more indirectly because of the food shortage. Hunger and Disease were common visitors in the streets of Albion.

_The marriage festivities turned out to be more expensive than we expected. The extra loaf of bread provided by the state soup kitchens to celebrate the event were the biggest expense, as expected.__ The distribution of one bowl of soup and one loaf of bread for each registered citizen in need of relief has been continued after the festivities. At this rate we can keep up aiding the people for roughly two months, provided the group of citizens in need of state help does not grow significantly. _

A sigh escaped Esthers lips when she finished reading the report.

"Is everything alright, my lady," asked the ever vigilant Virgil.

"You have read the report," answered Esther. "We have two months reserves left, after that we will have to put a stop to the state facilitated war relief."

She rubbed her eyes. Every day more pressing matters with no other solution than a generous donation from the count of Noctis Silentium were brought under her attention.

"What should be done, my lady?"

"Is there any government department left wich can do with less money?"

"No, my queen."

"And the funds the pope bestowed on us?"

"All but spend on housing."

A heavy silence fell. One that was broken by the growling stomach of a page. Esthers smiled sad.

"Then our only hope is that my husband sees fit to respond to my letter."

Two days her prayers were answered. It was a morning Esther would not soon forget. Virgil uncharacteristically barged into her bedroom, waking her up with a rough shake. Right behind him were her two female advisors. Who both of them, equally uncharacteristically, made no attempt at politely throwing Virgil out. Ms. Spencer wasn't even properly dressed. In other circumstances Esther would have laughed, even in these bitter times. But all three of them had an solemn look in their eyes.

"What is it, what has happened?"

"This has just been delivered."

Virgil gave her an envelope addressed to her. It's contents were sealed with a rather pompous signet. An owl with it claws stretched before him, in the middle of attacking it's pray. The emblem of the county of Noctis Silentium. In the envelope Esther found a note and a blank check. After handing over the check to Virgil, she unfolded the note. Only a few words were written on it.

'_My end of the bargain. Salvate animas vestras.'_

Joyous as she should have been with the counts generous offer, Esther felt sick. Hastily she put the note under her pillow. Her advisors saw her hiding it, but did not ask her why. Instead, the practical ms. Spencer pointed out the most important matter.

"Now we can save the lives of our people."

Esther swallowed hard. _Salvate animas vestras…. __Jeremiah 48:6. Once quoted by you father Nightroad. How many Methuselah have knowledge of Scripture? __ What kind of ill favoured coincidence is this? Or…_ Hope fluttered in her heart. Could it be, that maybe…


End file.
